PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the immediate destruction of methamphetamine hydrochloride, locally known as shabu, recovered off the waters in the western part of Luzon this month.
Marcos inspected on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, the 1.304 tons of shabu valued at P8,871,307,200 that were found floating by fishermen off the coasts of Zambales, Pangasinan, and Cagayan since early June.
The President raised the need for the illegal drugs to be immediately destroyed in order for it not to end up in the black market, citing various incidents in the past where confiscated substances were allegedly recycled.
“Dati, alam na alam natin, ‘pag may nahuli, sabihin natin, 100 kilos, ang sinisira na lang kung ano-ano ng balot ang ginagawa, ngunit 20 kilos na lang. ‘Yong 80 kilos na natira ay lalabas na naman ‘yan, maipagbibili pa rin. So, that is what we are trying to avoid,” he said.
(Before, we all knew that when someone was caught -- let's say with 100 kilos -- only a portion would be destroyed, depending on how it was packaged, and in the end, only around 20 kilos would be accounted for. The remaining 80 kilos would somehow make its way back out and be sold again. So, that is what we are trying to avoid.)
In response, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Isagani Nerez said the drug haul will be destructed through thermal decomposition on Wednesday, June 25, in Capas, Tarlac.
Since no person was apprehended and no criminal case was filed, the drugs will be destroyed on account of a written order issued by the PDEA director general.
Appropriate inventory of the drugs in the presence of required witnesses, the conduct of forensic laboratory examination, and issuances of prescribed reports have also been carried out.
Nerez assured that the PDEA is working with other law enforcement agencies during operations to ensure transparency and a system of checks and balances.
“Sa amin sa PDEA, it is impossible. Wala ‘yon. We have enhanced our counter-intelligence measures para ma-detect natin kaagad ‘yong mga attempt na magkaroon ng pilferage,” he said.
(With us at PDEA, that’s impossible. That doesn’t happen. We have enhanced our counter-intelligence measures to immediately detect any attempts of pilferage.)
“Sa atin ngayon, no-no. That’s a no-no. ‘Yan ang kabilin-bilinan ng ating presidente — no-no-no sa recycling,” he added.
(For us now, that’s a no-no. That’s strictly prohibited. That’s the clear directive from our President — a firm no to recycling [of illegal drugs.)
Meanwhile, Marcos reiterated his directive for law enforcers to intensify the campaign against illegal drugs, but in a peaceful and bloodless manner.
He pointed out the need to crack down on street-level drug operations.
“We do it in a peaceful way. It has been described as a bloodless war on drugs and that is what we are aiming for. But nonetheless, despite the fact that we do not kill people that are just suspected of having anything to do with drugs, imbes na ganyan ang ginagawa natin, we are handling the drug problem in a different way,” Marcos said.
The President also ordered the country’s law enforcement agencies to intensify security and protection of coastlines and other maritime routes to avert future attempts of drug smuggling. (TPM/SunStar Philippines)